Middle East or Nuclear Wasteland!

Jordan, the only Middle East country with confirmed uranium, is estimated to have around 140,000 tonnes in its uranium reserves plus a further 59,000 tonnes in phosphate deposits. Although no uranium has been mined yet, it was announced in 2008 that the Jordanian Government signed an agreement with the French Company AREVA to explore for uranium. This will benefit them on building a future nuclear plant in Jordan.

Since the beginning of 2010, the government of Jordan has been seeking approval from the U.S. for producing nuclear fuel from Jordan’s uranium for use in nuclear power plants that Jordan plans to build. Jordan is not required to obtain U.S. approval since, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Jordan has every right to produce nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes. However, in view of the U.S.-led sanctions against Iran over Iran’s nuclear program, Jordan is first seeking US approval to avoid a fate similar to that of Iran. The government of Israel, not a signatory of the NPT, has made clear to Washington its objection to Jordan’s nuclear energy program. According to Haaretz, Jordan learned that the US position is essentially the Israeli position, and the U.S. has rejected Jordan’s request for approval.

Pakistan operates two reactors, is building a third, and is considering two more. The current total nuclear generating capacity is 425 Mwe.

Despite being the third largest oil exporter in the world, United Arab Emirates is installing nuclear powered plants to meet their electricity demand, which is estimated to increase from 15.5 GWe to over 40 GWe in 2020. In December, 2009 US and UAE signed an agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation. UAE has also signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), along with the additional protocol.

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) has won a $20 billion bid to build nuclear power plants in UAE. Braka was chosen as the site to build four commercial nuclear power plants successively, with the first scheduled to start supplying electricity in 2017.

Syria abandoned its plans to build a VVER-440 reactor after the Chernobyl accident. The plans of nuclear program were revived at the beginning of 2000s when Syria negotiated with Russia to build a nuclear facility that would include a nuclear power plant and a seawater atomic desalination plant.

Yemen has called for establishing The Arab Atomic Energy Agency for nuclear researches and using them for peaceful means, especially generating electricity.

After Iran, Saudi Arabia wants to go nuclear. Like many developing nations, the kingdom has seen its electricity demand soar in recent years—more than 8 percent annually—and is actively searching for alternatives to fossil fuels. Enter nuclear power: last month Saudi Arabia announced a joint initiative with Japan’s Toshiba and American firms the Shaw Group and Exelon to build and operate at least two nuclear power plants in the country.

Of course, Saudi Arabia’s hardly alone in the Middle East in its desire for nuclear power. But unlike its poorer neighbors, it’s got the money to see its plans to fruition. However, the country’s legendary secrecy about its internal workings has some analysts worried about its nuclear ambitions.

Western officials also fear that Saudi Arabia could join a nuclear defense pact with Pakistan (both Sunni majority countries) in order to protect against intimidation from Shiite-majority Iran.